Shimadzu has released its Nexera UC (Unified Chromatography) system, which it claims is the first fully automated system combining online supercritical fluidic extraction (SFE) with supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) in a single flow path.
The Nexera UC enables automatic extraction of up to 48 samples followed by seamless transfer to SFC/MS for high-sensitivity detection of targets by mass spectrometry.
Nexera UC eliminates the need for complicated sample preparation and enables highly reliable and stable analysis of delicate samples that are prone to oxidation or degradation if exposed to air and/or light.
Automated extraction and chromatographic analysis is achieved using a mobile phase of supercritical carbon dioxide, which exhibits liquid-like dissolving power and diffusivity similar to gases, into which alcohol and other organic solvents are added as needed.
Nexera UC system has a much higher target analyte recovery rate and reduced possibility of human error during analysis when compared to conventional manual workflows and off-line systems.
Offering a wide range of separation modes, the system enables the analysis of compounds over a diverse chemical space.
In addition, the environmentally ’green’ instrument significantly reduces the quantity of organic solvents used for such applications as the chiral analysis of enantiomers that are common in the pharmaceutical industry.
Multiple configurations are available, including an online SFE-SFC-MS system in which samples are extracted under light-shielding and anaerobic conditions in order to protect labile analytes from degradation; an ultrafast SFC-MS/MS system for high-sensitivity analyses of compounds containing many analogues; an automated high-speed chiral screening system; and an SFC-UV system.
The Nexera UC system is designed to fulfil the measurement requirements of a wide range of applications, including monitoring of pesticides in food products, searching for disease biomarkers, drug discovery research in pharmaceuticals, and cleaning validation.
Additionally, the online SFE-SFC-MS configuration offers a simple mechanism for determining a target analyte’s solubility in carbon dioxide.
